Tempeh and Chickpea Pinwheels with Agave Mustard Dressing

Giada's recipe calls for chicken so I tried mixing Tempeh with chickpeas and thought it turned out great.  If you like your salad with a bit more texture,  you can process the tempeh and chickpeas a bit less.  These little pinwheels are great for parties or picnics!

Tempeh Chickpea and Agave Mustard Pinwheels

(inspired by Giada De Laurentis)

1            pkg. tempeh (steamed or boiled per pkg. directions)

1            14 oz. can chickpeas

1 1/2      cups arugula or spinach, chopped

1/3         cup radishes, diced (optional)

1            cup soy cream cheese, (8 ounces)

1/4         cup agave

1/4         cup whole grain mustard

              zest of 1 large lemon

              kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

              Two 12 x 9 inch whole wheat or plain Lavash breads

              *** I used whole grain flour tortillas, approximately 5 ***

Steam or boil tempeh to remove bitterness (according to pkg.).  Rinse and drain chickpeas, process tempeh and chickpeas in food processor.  Remove and set aside in a bowl, and add radishes.  Process soy cream cheese, agave, mustard and lemon zest until smooth.  Add sauce to tempeh and chickpea mixture.  At this point you can add greens to the mixture of ad when assembling the pinwheels – it keeps the greens fresher.

Divide mixture in half and spread over the breads, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Starting at the longest edge, tightly roll up the breads like a jelly roll.  Cut each sandwich into eight 1 1/2 thick pieces using a serrated knife and serve.

***If using flour tortillas, cut into approximately 4 pinwheels.

Tofu Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce

Why not enjoy Sunday brunch in the comfort of your own home, never having to take off your slippers!  You can make this dish with any sort of veggies, even adding a slice of soy cheese if you so desire.  Serve with a side of home fries.

Tofu Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce

Toppings: 

            Fried Tofu

            Spinach  (steamed)

            Soy or Tempeh bacon, cooked according to package

            Fresh Tomato slices

Tofu:

1            14 oz. pkg. firm tofu

3            tablespoons soy sauce

              olive oil for frying

Hollandaise Sauce:

2            tablespoons vegan margarine

3/4 cup + 1/4 cup unsweetened nondairy milk, divided

1            teaspoon lemon juice, optional  (you can add more if you like)

2            tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/8         teaspoons sea salt and pepper

              dash cayenne pepper

              dash dry mustard

              dash turmeric

1            tablespoon cornstarch

Pat tofu dry to remove excess water then slice tofu 3/4 – 1” thick and drizzle soy sauce over and set aside.  The Tofu is delicate so be careful when picking up.

For sauce, in a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons soy margarine. Stir in 3/4 cup non dairy milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sea salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard and turmeric.  Simmer.  Mix the tablespoon of cornstarch with the reserved 1/4 cup nondairy milk until all lumps are gone.  Add this mixture to the sauce, and bring to boil.  Keep stirring, as sauce will thicken quickly.  Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Steam spinach, slice tomatoes, and prepare soy bacon (if using). 

Add oil to frying pan and add tofu slices.  You can give a quick fry (about a minute on each side) but we like ours a little crispier so we turn when browned.  Pop in English muffins.

Assemble by placing 1 slice of tomato on English muffin then start adding your other ingredients.  We added a slice of tofu on top of tomato, then tofu then another tomato, soy bacon, spinach and top with the sauce.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

I scored some beautiful Rhubarb at the Harrisville farmers market and rushed home to make a desert.  I originally wanted to make a pie but it was too hot to slave over a crust so I looked on-line and found this recipe.  I switched out regular butter with soy butter and used agave vs. honey. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp 

Adapted from Skinnytaste.com

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/05/strawberry-rhubarb-crisp.html

Filling:

1            lb. strawberries, hulled and quartered

1            lb. rhubarb stalks  (about 5 or 6) cut into 1” pieces

1/2         orange, zested and juiced

1            tablespoon cornstarch

1/4         cup agave

Topping:

1            cup Quaker quick oats

1/2         cup whole wheat flour

1/2         cup light brown sugar, not packed

1/2         teaspoon cinnamon

1/4         cup soy butter, melted

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine strawberries and rhubarb in an oven safe dish.

Add agave, orange juice and zest; sprinkle with cornstarch and toss until fruit is well coated.

Mix remaining ingredients for the topping in a medium bowl then spread over fruit.

Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, about 40 minutes.

Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip

This spinach dip recipe uses tofu instead of mayo for its creaminess and calls for nutritional yeast to add a slightly cheesy flavor.  Nutritional Yeast can be found in health food stores or Whole Foods.

 ***Nutritional Yeast:  An excellent source of protein, containing essential amino acids. Gluten Free.  Rich in vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins.  Excellent source of folic acid which is important for formation, growth and reproduction of red blood cells.

Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip (Chloe’s Kitchen CB – Chloe Coscarelli)

2            tablespoons olive oil

1            onion, roughly chopped

3            cloves garlic, minced

1/2         teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

5            oz. baby spinach

1            14-oz. package soft tofu, drained 

1/2         cup nutritional yeast flakes

2            tablespoons lemon juice

1            teaspoon dried basil

1 1/2      teaspoon sea salt

1/2         teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

14          oz. of canned, marinated, or frozen artichoke hearts, drained

              bread of tortilla chips for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 1-quart baking dish.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onions until soft. Add garlic and red pepper and let cook a few more minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add spinach. Let cook, stirring gently, until spinach is wilted.

In a food processor, blend tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper until smooth. Add artichokes and spinach mixture, and pulse about 15 times. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Let cool a few minutes, then serve with bread or tortilla chips.

Spanakopita with Homemade Tofu Feta

This recipe is for appetizers but you can cut the dough a little larger for bigger pieces and serve with a side salad.  The puff pastry dough makes these little pockets of goodness nice and crispy!

Spanakopita with Homemade Tofu Feta  Spork-Fed Cookbook by Jenny Engle and  Heather Goldberg   http://www.sporkonline.com/   

2            tablespoons neutral tasting high-heat oil

1            teaspoon dried oregano

1            14 oz. block extra-firm tofu, crumbled

5            cloves roasted garlic

1/2         teaspoon sea salt

1/2         teaspoon finely ground black pepper

2            tablespoons light miso paste

2            tablespoons red wine vinegar

2            tablespoons lemon juice, plus grated zest of 1 lemon

1            tablespoon brown rice syrup

1            tablespoon fresh thyme

4            cups spinach, tightly packed

1            package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Roasted Garlic:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice off base of bulb with large chef’s knife. Place bulb, cut side down, in an oiled heat-proof baking dish and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for about 25-30 minutes, or until cloves are soft. Set aside

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large pan, combine oil, oregano and crumbled tofu. Add roasted garlic, sea salt, black pepper, miso, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, brown rice syrup and thyme. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tofu appears slightly dry and golden.

Add spinach to tofu mixture in small bunches and cook until wilted. Remove excess water once cooked.

To assemble:  Slice each sheet of thawed puff pastry into 4-inch squares. Add about 2 tablespoons filling to upper left corner of each square.  Fold puff pastry in half over filling to create a triangle.

Seal edges by pressing with a fork.

Make 2 small slits in the top of Spanakopita. Repeat for remaining puff pastry.

Place on a large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (or use cooking spray). Bake for about 20 minutes, or until crisp and golden. 

Sloppy Joes

I guess I could just keep using my same old tried and true Sloppy Joe recipe but I love to try out new versions.  This version has a strong tomato taste, a good one to add to your collection.  The original recipe called for vegetable protein (soy crumbles) but I used Tempeh for a more neutral flavor.  Enjoy!

 Sloppy Joes  (Adapted from The Imus Ranch Cookbook)

2            tablespoons olive oil

1            medium onion, diced

4            cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

2            teaspoons dried oregano

3            tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1            32-ounce bottle vegetable cocktail or tomato juice

1            14 ounce can regular or fire roasted can diced tomatoes

1/2         teaspoon salt

1/2         teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2            tablespoons Worcestershire sauce – vegan

1            teaspoon spicy mustard

4            cups Tempeh – first boiled in water for 10 min.  (2 blocks of Tempeh)

8            buns

2            cups soy mozzarella cheese (optional)

              cornstarch --  if mixture needs thickening

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is simmering, add the onion, garlic and oregano, and sauté until the vegetables are tender, 6-8 minutes.  Add the balsamic vinegar and boil to reduce by half, about 3 minutes. 

Boil Tempeh for approximately 10 minutes to remove bitterness.  Let cool then chop finely.

Add vegetable cocktail, tomatoes, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard and bring to a low boil.  Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the chopped tempeh, and stir until it is thoroughly softened and the liquid is absorbed.  Let simmer for a bit and add cornstarch if mixture needs thickening. 

Sweet-and-Sour Party Meatballs

Great idea for a party, just dress them with fancy skewers/tooth picks and watch them go!

Sweet-and-Sour Party Meatballs  (Chloe’s Kitchen CB)  http://www.chefchloe.com/blog.html

1            8-oz. pkg. tempeh, or 1 cup cooked brown rice (we used Tempeh)

2            tablespoons olive oil

1            onion, finely chopped

2            cloves garlic, minced

1            15-oz. can lentils, rinsed and drained

1            cup walnuts, toasted

1/2         cup all-purpose flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour

1            teaspoon dried basil

1            teaspoon sea salt

1            teaspoon ground black pepper

2            tablespoons canola oil

              Sweet and Sour Sauce (to follow)

Fill a large pot with enough water to reach the bottom of a steamer basket. Using a knife or your hands, break tempeh into 4 pieces and place in the basket. Cover and steam for 20 minutes. Check the pot occasionally and add more water if necessary. Steaming the tempeh will remove its bitterness.

In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté onions until soft and lightly browned. Add garlic and cook a few more minutes. Transfer to a food processor. Reserve skillet for later use.

Add steamed tempeh, lentils, walnuts, flour, basil, salt, and pepper to the onions in the food processor. Pulse until the walnut pieces are very fine and the mixture comes together. If necessary, transfer the mixture to a large bowl and mix with your hands. Adjust seasoning to taste. With the palms of your hands, form the mixture into 1-“ balls.

Heat oil in non stick skillet over medium high heat, and pan fry meatballs in batches, adding more oil as needed.  Rotate the meatballs with a wooden spoon so that they brown on all sides. Remove meatballs from the pan using 2 forks or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Transfer to serving platter and spoon Sweet-and-Sour Sauce on top.

Sweet-and-Sour Sauce:

3/4         cup water

1/2         cup packed brown sugar or maple syrup

1/4         cup white or apple cider vinegar

1/4         cup soy sauce

3            tablespoons ketchup

2            tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot

In a medium saucepan, whisk together water, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and cornstarch. Heat the sauce over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture has thickened and big syrupy bubbles appear on the surface.